Batman Beyond--X
by depressedchildren
Summary: Terry could have just as easily received Bruce's spliced X instead of Y; if so, would it have all started with Matt instead? But the world, particularly Gotham, needed a Batman again. The Jokerz overran the streets, business was destroying the world. Pride and avarice were destroying Gotham, and Gotham needed its symbol of hope and justice again. Warning: Language & suggestiveness
1. Chapter 1: Rebirth pt 1

_**Disclaimer: **_ I do not own Batman Beyond; it belongs to its creators. I gain nothing but a writing outlet and writing/editing experience.

**Summary:** Terry could have just as easily received Bruce's spliced X instead of Y; if so, would it have all started with Matt instead? But the world, particularly Gotham, needed a Batman again. The Jokerz overran the streets, business were destroying the world. Pride and avarice were destroying Gotham, and Gotham needed its symbol of hope and justice again.

_**A/N:**_ I shouldn't be writing this, but I am. This will be pretty verbatim at the beginning, and chapters will be one long chunk of time, so no scene changes—at least for now. There will be a fair bit of introspection, and I was just curious how things might have played out if Terry hadn't received Bruce's X chromosome—assuming the DNA spliced into Warren wasn't already altered so that he only had sons. This will be looking at the change in dynamics and interpretation of scenarios. Hope you enjoy ~ much love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter 1:** Rebirth part 1

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Terri McGinnis, seventeen, sighed as she leaned against the wall of the South-Line Atrack. She looked down at her handheld computer and debated whether or not to e-mail Charlie. She hadn't e-mailed him in a few months and he still had some time left to go on his sentence… It wasn't fair.

She sighed again and shoved the computer into the pocket of her crop-top brown leather jacket before she shoved her hands into her black skinny jean's gray pockets.

It really wasn't fair she was out here while he was still in there. If Terri had been even a few years older they would have had an equal sentence. Though at the same time, it was good she had gotten out after three months…if not, well it had already nearly been too late… She bowed her head and chewed on her bottom lip. Her bob-cut brushed against her cheekbones as she did so.

Ironically, she wouldn't even feel sorry for him if she had just not gotten involved with Charlie "Big Time" Bigelow when her parents were going through that divorce. Terri probably wouldn't have even met him if she hadn't been trying to escape her father and mother yelling about whether or not…whether or not she and Matt were really their father's children. Terri would have never met "Big Time" and he would have never sweet talked her and other things… Slag it! She knew he was just using her, but then…she got off easy and he got all that time…and there would always be that soft spot for him and the guilt/regret over her actions, but then…. But then those three months and the constant disapproval her parents directed at her made her realize just how stupid she had been.

Terri had a feeling her parents knew just what kind of relationship she had had with him, but she never admitted it and did everything she could to make sure they wouldn't know—it would have just added another charge to his record. Regardless, all the adults involved made sure she wasn't to see him again. Slag, Terri had been fourteen and she had just been playing into his hand. If she had been angry, he had let her vent. If she had felt awkward, he had made her feel…attractive. If she had wanted to hurt something because everything seemed to be hurting her, he had given her an outlet through their scams.

She could resent Charlie to her heart's content, but at the end of the day she would still get hanged up on the fact that she was out here with a slap on the wrist while he was still in prison. She'd always feel the guilt, the regret.

Terri looked up when the reporter on the train's television mentioned Wayne-Powers. She scoffed and shook her head. Of course Powers was taking over more of that old man's business, he was too old and Powers too vicious. But no matter how much she didn't like that snake's business, he did put food on their table…

And that was something Terri didn't get it…if her father was so uncertain about whether she was his daughter or not, why did he take her into his custody…was it because of juvie? Or did a moment of compassion take him and he was reminded of all the times he would take his little princess to the movie theater, fishing, or softball and soccer games? Did Mom just not want Terri, or was it her way to attest that she had been faithful and he should have to take care of Terri—_his _daughter.

Someone entered the Atrack car Terri was in from the back and began to make his or her way—_his _if the passing hand on her ass was an indication, and now that he was walking pas her she knew it was a Joker, probably from the red gang. He walked right up to the monitor and began to spray paint it. Great…Terri rolled her eyes and gave the Jokerz thug her most unimpressed look.

Of course, then the clown turned around and gave a theatric bow, "Thank you. Thank you," he then tilted his head up from the bow—likely to survey the car to see if anyone had reacted to him. Terri shook her head in disgust and looked off to the side as she folded her hands over her chest.

"Ahhhh!" Terri imagined the clown found his target, and sure enough, when she glanced over at him, he had his arm around some poor woman. "I saw you smile," he stated, "Yes I did, yes I did!" he jeered while pointing right in the terrified woman's face. It made Terri sick just watching the dreg.

He cleared his voice and held out his hand with the palm face up. Terri shook her head in disgust as she felt sympathy for the poor woman.

"What do you want?" the woman asked cautiously, guarding herself.

"Money for the joke you just bought. Pay up," the threat was veiled, but it set Terri and the woman on edge. Slag it! Why wasn't anyone doing anything?! "I give you funny and you give me money" he then held up his fists threateningly and it took all of Terri's self-control to refrain from marching over there and knocking the punk out.

"I didn't buy anything!" the woman replied as she looked at the men around her for help but they all astutely looked away. Terri girt her teeth and clutched her arms tightly from where they were folded over her chest. The clown was almost a head taller than her and twice as wide, sure Charlie had taught her to fight like any thug but…could she take him on?

The Jokerz thug leaned in close to the woman who reared back, "Aww, you're shy," he mocked her. Terri had had enough, if no one was going to step up then she would. Scowling, she began to march towards the punk.

"That's okay," the clown continued harassing the woman, "I'll just help myself," he stated as he picked up her purse and began to laugh while he stood up.

As the dreg was gloating, Terri seized her moment and took ahold of the punk's arm with the purse. She pinned it behind his back, "That's enough, get lost clown," she sneered as she pushed him into the monitor he had ruined. His head smashed into the class and cracked it.

He fell down and turned to face her as he wiped at some blood dripping down from his lip. "Oh-ho-ho, sweet-ass wants to wrestle." He got up and mockingly went into a sloppy fighting stance. Terri shook her head and easily got into his guard and gave him a solid punch to jaw that sent him flying back into the monitor before he could even swing.

"That does it, bitch," he practically growled as he shook off the class. Terri had backed off slightly and was in a defensive position as the dreg rushed to his feet and began to do the most ridiculous mock kung-fu stances. Then the door opened on the Atrack and he blew her a raspberry before racing out of the car.

Exhaling in disgust she dropped her stance and shook her head, "Jokerz." Thankfully the rest of the way to school was uneventful and she got to lean back against the wall as the Atrack took her not far from Hamilton Hill High School.

On the rest of her way there, she came across Max who looked to be in a hurry, but she slowed down to walk with her. "Hey Terri."

"Hey Max," Terri returned the greeting before gesturing at the near-bursting messenger bag hanging off Max's side, "Busy?"

Max gave a wry laugh and nodded her head, "I've finally made a breakthrough on this matrix I have been _killing_ myself over. And now it's like my brain's on fire and I just have to get it down!"

Chuckling, Terri asked, "Made the breakthrough on the way here?" Max nodded adamantly as her gaze flickered toward the approaching school. Terri shook her head and motioned Max on, "Don't let me keep you from your breakthrough."

Max glanced back at her and gave her a barely constrained smile as she set her hand against Terri's arm, "Thanks girl." She then began to walk faster but she turned and called over her shoulder, "Tell Dana and Chelsea I won't be able to make our Girls Night Out, yeah?"

Laughing again, Terri nodded her head, "Sure thing, Max."

Since the four of them were all single, they had decided to go to the new club on level 54 in hopes of perhaps snagging a few lines. Of course, if Nash Nelson was there the night would be ruined. Terri really did not see what Chelsea saw in the meathead.

Terri finally made it to the courtyard where students were dreading for bell to ring but regardless passed the time in small groups talking. Terri easily found Dana and Chelsea talking as they leaned on one of the tables. Terri leaned against the end next to Dana and smiled at her friends.

"Hey Ter," Dana greeted before looking off over at a group of guys, she then gave Terri a playful look, "I heard Jared was going to be at the club tonight," she sing-sang.

"Mmm," Terri hummed as she cast her gaze over at the guy in question. Jared was pretty nice and they had flirted on past occasions. Maybe tonight they might hit it off a little more. "Good to know," she replied with her own playful look.

"I heard Nelson is going to be there," Chelsea gushed and looked like she was about to melt into a puddle on the ground. Dana and Terri both gave the blonde girl a look before shaking their heads.

"Oh come on! He's the coolest guy and the most eligible."

"Only because he goes through girls like tissue paper during cold season," Dana retorted with clear disgust.

Terri nodded in agreement but added, "And if he can't get into a girl's pants he says he has."

Chelsea gave her a look and rolled her eyes, "You're still on about that, just admit you slept with Nelson, I mean who wouldn't want to."

"For one, I wouldn't," Terri began while glaring at Chelsea, "And, two, he's a no good liar, but now most of the guys think I'm easy."

Chelsea gave her a look that asked what the problem was and Terri just shook her head in disgust before turning away. Dana just sighed heavily and shook her head.

Terri had promised herself she wouldn't be with anyone after Charlie, at least not until she knew the guy and had a strong sense of how right he was for her. Not that she was going to wait for marriage to do _that_ again, but she wanted her next partner to be someone she would happily marry.

"How about we _not_ talk about Nelson, yeah?" Dana tried and reluctantly Chelsea and Terri both agreed.

However, Nelson had a different agenda than them. Just as they were turning to talk about class assignments, he swaggered up to them like a proud cock with his comb erect.

Terri and Dana both gave him disinterested looks before turning away from where he was leaning into Chelsea's personal space.

"So, Beautiful," he started and Terri barely refrained from snorting, "You going to be at the club tonight?" Oh god, he was laying it on thick as he tried to sound all suave. He even went so far as to brush his finger up Chelsea's arm.

Dana and Terri looked at each other and made gagging expressions; however, considering that Nelson was now looming over them, he probably saw it.

"What,?! You two lesbians have something to say?" that was really the best he could do? Well his loud call and angry stance had now attracted the attention of a large number of people. Terri could see most of the crowd was just waiting for the blood to spill—after all, they knew how volatile Terri could get around Nash Nelson—between the "past lovers."

Dana frowned and folded her arms over her chest while Terri gave him an unimpressed look. "So I'm a lesbian now? What you turn me?"

Dana looked at Terri with wide eyes; though it was clear she wanted to join the students laughing at Nelson, who was currently turning red in the face. It took a few stuttering moments but then Nelson had a comeback, "W-well-well a-a slut like you probably doesn't care—" and Terri lost it, she decked him so hard that he fell to the ground with his cheek already swelling and cut.

"Terri!" Chelsea and Dana cried in shock while Terri shook out her hand.

"McGinnis!" Slag it! A teacher must have seen the altercation. He was making a beckoning motion now and Terri gritted her teeth as she looked up at the smoggy sky.

Before she walked away, she kicked Nelson in the leg, "I am not a slut and I have _never_ slept with you, asshole!"

"McGinnis!" the teacher called again with more anger. Sighing, she trudged over there.

None of this would have been happening if she hadn't met Charlie and she hadn't gone to that stupid sleep-over with Blade's at-the-time-new group of friends. It was because of those girls that practically the whole school knew she had lost _it_ at fourteen, fortunately the teachers didn't put much stock in the rumors or Charlie's sentence would have lengthened.

But now she had to face her punishment for fighting in school. Even if she said she was provoked, it was her fist that flied and it was her father—maybe father—that would hear about it. Great.

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_**TBC**_

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_**A/N:**_So, some drastic changes already. There will be _**NO**_ yuri or girlxgirl. Also, as stated, it will be pretty verbatim for "Rebirth" after that there's a little more variance. Please give this a chance through Rebirth at least, I make it more plausible for her being Batman. Regardless, hope you enjoyed; updating will be sporadic. ~ with love, depressedchildren


	2. Chapter 2: Rebirth pt 2

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Batman Beyond; it belongs to its creators. I gain nothing but a writing outlet and writing/editing experience.

**Summary:** Terry could have just as easily received Bruce's spliced X instead of Y; if so, would it have all started with Matt instead? But the world, particularly Gotham, needed a Batman again. The Jokerz overran the streets, businesses were destroying the world. Pride and avarice were destroying Gotham, and Gotham needed its symbol of hope and justice again.

**A/N: **Updating…So as I've said, I'm trying to write long chunks of text; therefore no page breakers before scene changes or things like that. It's a little awkward at times, so please forgive that. Again, a lot of this is pretty much verbatim because honestly, things had to happen as they did or neither of them would have let the new Batman become a reality. So please enjoy ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter 2: **Rebirth part 2

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Terri received the fifth text from Chelsea stating that she had to be here—"there are tons of really hot guys with super schway rides!"—and another text from Dana that said Jared was asking about her. Ugh! She had to be there! Her "father" wouldn't even listen to her when she tried to explain how she got into the fight with that meathead Nelson, though it probably didn't help that there had been a call from public safety saying she had dealt with a Joker.

It was a little ironic how protective he could be; especially, considering he wasn't all that positive she was his daughter. Slag this, she was going.

Terri quickly kicked off her skinny jeans, slipped on some leggings and her gray heeled boots. If she had the chest for it, she would have thrown on one of the mid-drift tops that were all the rage, but sadly she had always been severely lacking in that department. Instead, she pulled on black tube-top and slipped a gray skirt on before throwing her jacket over her shoulder.

She went down to her "father's" designated office space and mock knocked on the wall, "Knock, knock," she called, and consequently startled the man.

Looking at him, she really didn't resemble him, at all. Her face structure, build, and hair were so different from his, so different from either of her parents.

He turned away from her, apparently engrossed with the screen, "Terri, I'm busy." Terri shook her head and started to walk into the darkened office, he was going to hurt his eyes working in the dark like that.

"Dad," he flinched and Terri looked down at the ground but continued speaking, "I gotta go out." If it wasn't for him flinching, she would have entered the room further and draped herself over his back to give him a hug—just like she used to when she was a kid.

He turned away from her and rubbed at his forehead…was it because he couldn't stand the sight of her? A kid he was tricked into caring for and raising for some unfaithful wife… "You're grounded, Terri. Remember," he sounded stressed and fatigued.

"I didn't start the fight!" Why didn't he listen to her anymore, why wasn't she his little princess like she used to be? He still wasn't looking at her.

"I'll hear all about it when we meet with your counselor, again" he straightened then and looked over at Terri. His eyes narrowed instantly at her outfit. "And either way you should not be going out in that."

"Mom would hear me out—and you should see how other girls dress!"

"You are not living with that woman, and perhaps if you didn't dress—" he flailed one arm as he turned fully toward Terri, "Well, then people wouldn't make false accusations."

The rage just boiled up and she punched the nearest thing, the wall, but instantly regretted it for the smarting it caused in her hand. "Don't remind me," she gritted out, "And how can you say that!?" She wasn't a slut, slag it!

He stood up then, "That's you're problem right there!" he gestured at the wall, "You can't control your temper and you better if you ever expect to make something of yourself." He took a step closer to Terri with his arms out, almost in a comforting gesture but he retracted it, "And the more you react and go to those clubs, the more they will think it's true."

Terri just looked at him before shaking her head, "Fuck you," she whispered before turning on her heel and hurrying out of the house. She tried to ignore the stinging behind her eyes, but it was no use. The tears came as she hurried out of the house and ignored her father's calls behind her. How…why… They used to be so close, she used to be perfect in his eyes and now…

She climbed on her bike and hurried to the club despite the danger wandering Gotham alone at night presented to a young woman such as herself. She just had to get away. She never even noticed the car pulling up to stop in the night shadow of another building.

She was too distraught and it took nearly the whole ride to the club until she calmed down. Once she parked her bike and removed her helmet, she immediately saw Chelsea and Dana in line. Wiping at the last remnants of any tears, she got in line beside Dana. "Surprise," she called weakly.

"Terri! I thought you were in solitary," however Dana's smile faltered, "What happened?" she asked in concern.

Terri waved her hand as she looked away, "Just…let's just focus on our Girls Night, yeah?"

Dana gave an almost reproachful look but then set her hand on Terri's shoulder, "You can talk to me Terri, I won't judge."

Terri gave her a weak smile before looking at those assembled in the line, "Where's Jared?"

"Already inside," she said with a slightly more playful smile; of course Nelson had to ruin it all with his flashy entrance in his new car. Disgusting. "Just ignore that pig," she murmured and began to move back toward the line; however that was when the Jokerz came.

Other than Nelson getting his ass-kicked, no one was doing anything to stop them, and that was when Chuckles and a wannabe Joker grabbed Terri and Dana. Chuckles, the dreadlocked behemoth, tried to give Terri a sloppy wet one but she quickly elbowed him in the nose and jumped off the crashing bike.

Terri then hurried toward Dana who was being "tickled" by the Joker wannabe. "Hands off, dreg!" she called as she grabbed the freak's hand and used his own momentum to throw him over her shoulder and into Nelson's car.

Chuckles, with his busted nose, was back on his bike and ready to go, "Split the bitch's sides!" he called as they all began to rev their bikes at her.

"Dana, go!" Terri pushed her friend slightly, but eventually she complied while giving a look that said she thought Terri was insane.

Terri ran over to the light post and faced off against that behemoth that had tried to kiss her. She ducked under the mace like weapon he was swinging and it wrapped around the lamppost so that he ended up crashing his bike. Another dreg was coming her way with a fat top-hat behind him. Terri turned toward the lamppost and then jumped so that her momentum would swing her around the post to kick the first thug off his bike so that he would crash into the one behind him.

She was just so angry with everything that had happened that day. Thinking of Charlie in depth, having to deal with Nelson and his pig attitude, then…her "father" suggesting what he had—she just wanted to take it out on someone, something, and here were these Jokerz. Beside it had never sat right with her how they treated people, and that no one ever did anything. But then Terri heard—more than saw—another band of Jokerz approaching, and fast.

"Get out of here!" Dana shouted from where she stood on the side lines. She then gestured to Terri's bike nearby. Nodding, Terri got the bike standing upright. "Hurry!" Dana shouted, practically jumping up in down in anxiety and fear for her friend. Terri quickly fired the bike up to life and mounted before sailing down the highway.

She quickly put on her helmet, fearing brain injury upon what other wounds they might deal her, and began to expertly weave through the traffic and avoid their blows. But if she stayed on this road much longer, they'd swarm around her and she'd be in trouble. She then saw her escape, a structural slanted pillar to the highway lead down to another road, granted it would be a big jump, but she'd risk that than what the Jokerz had in store for her.

Luckily it all worked in her favor and she lost three as she continued to drive away from the city and drove closer to the harbor. She was starting to go up this creepy old hill, but they were still following her. She was practically at the top of it when, in her headlight, an old man appeared. Oh shit!

She veered off to the side but she was heading toward a wall and the turn had been so sharp that the bike tipped and skidded across the ground.

She winced at the burning on her left leg, which she was certain was all cut up and had friction burns, but at least her jacket kept her arms free from the same injury.

Grimacing, Terri looked over at the old man while she tried to get out from under the bike, but that was when the Jokerz turned their headlights on her. She stood up and got into her best fighting stance despite her torn up leggings and bleeding leg.

"Aww, no fun-girl had an accident," the Joker wannabe crowed with a sneer.

The behemoth pulled out a switch blade, clearly pissed off, "Let's put a smile on this ugly slut's face." They all began to advance when that freakish old man spoke up—so he wasn't just a figment of her imagination!

"Leave her alone," his voice had authority to it and it gave her chills just hearing the threat in his voice. "And get off my property, you're trespassing." the dramatic timing of his delivery was impressive, but the Jokerz did not seem to grasp it; though on another note, Terri was glad to know this man wasn't some random crazy old man—there was a legitimate reason for him to be outside on this creepy hill.

The sole female of the group walked her bike so her headlight faced the old man, "Oh? Is that so?" she asked in a mockingly sweet voice. Despite that the old man was standing up for her, Terri could help but wonder what this old man was hoping to accomplish by antagonizing Jokerz. It wasn't like they were discriminate—old or young, male or female, rich or poor—all were equal subjects for attack. The Jokerz would either cut him, or when the old man tried to defend himself he'd throw out his hip or have a heart-attack.

"It's okay, I can handle this," Terri replied as confidently as she could, given the odds and her banged up body…she would probably make it out of the fight with a broken rib or two, and a concussion.

The Joker wannabe ignored Terri in favor of the old man. Likely his ego had been bruised by the fact that not only had a _girl _defied them, but now on old man had too. He got off his bike with a superior attitude, "Who do you think you're talking to, old man?" he asked mockingly before he grabbed the lapels of the old man's coat, "We're the Jokerz." The old man was going to get himself killed!

Terri began to think of ways of how to keep the wannabe away from gutting the old guy. She could tackle him, but then she'd be exposed to the others. She could make a distraction but then that would put all of them on her again, and she really did not like the way Chuckles the behemoth clown was looking at her.

However the old man looked immensely amused, almost like he was humoring a child, "Sure you are," he drawled sardonically. He looked old enough to have lived during The Joker threat, so perhaps these street gangs really were just pathetic child's play? It was possible but it was going to piss these Jokerz off.

The wannabe took offense and pulled back his arm before Terri could move to tackle him, but the old man proved to be more agile than his hunched appearance made him seem. He pulled back and struck the dreg four times so hard with his cane that he was sent flying backwards with a broken nose and coughing up blood.

Slag, Terri hoped she rips like the old man when she got to be his age! Seeing an opportunity to make it out with minimal injuries, she rushed to the old man's side and got into a fighting stance.

There momentary shock wore off and they all went after them, switchblades, bats, and maces held out at the ready. This was going to be intense, and Terri wondered briefly how much attention she should pay the old man. If that display said anything, he was a capable fighter even in his advanced age. Old guy took on the behemoth easy and sent him crashing into some other dreg, while Terri jumped over some punk swinging a baseball bat at her—she had always had the highest vertical of her class, even amongst the guys. She then gave him an upper-cut that sent him flying.

A few more punches and kicks from Terri, and some whacks from the old man's cane, and the Jokerz were out cold and crawling away with their tails between their legs. Panting, Terri adjusted her slipping top in time to see the old man calmly, and without _looking_ hit the wannabe with his cane. So schway! She was seriously experiencing a bit of hero worship here.

"Man, you are _some_thing," Terri began to advance on the old man with her mouth open in shock and wonder; however, he was making his way toward the large gate leading to a driveway. "I've never seen anyone…" but that was when man stumbled into the wall before the gate.

Terri could see his shoulders moving up and down. The old guy had dropped his cane, and one arm was hidden from Terri's view. She hurried over, "Are you okay," she saw now that he was clutching at his chest and his left arm was going to give out. Was he having a heart attack? She quickly slipped under his arm and began to support him from his left side.

All the man mumbled, as he staggered forward, was, "my medicine." He then gestured toward the creepiest house Terri had ever seen. It was like a house, no mansion, from a horror film that was bound to be filled with ghosts or some pscyho-sociopath that trapped people and killed them inside his own home.

Oh man…Terri really wanted to leave the old guy out here, but then... Slag it, did she even have her phone still with her?

While the man was reaching into his coat pocket in search of what Terri hoped was a remote for the gate, she reached into the pocket of her coat only to feel nothing…she had lost her phone…somewhere. It might have been when she crashed or when she swung around the lamppost, but either way she had no way to contact anyone lest this old man try anything psychotic. Though at the same time…he was panting heavily and she would hate to have been the reason for giving an old guy a heart attack and not doing anything about it.

His breathing was slowly getting under control as together they began to hobble toward the creepy house atop the hill…. Of course, there was the scariest ass dog there to greet them at the gate, and it nearly lunged at Terri.

"Down, Ace," the old man used his cane slightly to back the dog off them, though he was still weak and Terri could feel him trembling from where she supported him. "She's okay," he said almost reluctantly and the dog backed off. They proceeded on their way but Terri was cognizant of the dog growling at her heels and following not far behind her.

"Nice dog," she commented in a slightly nervous yet ironic tone.

"Not really," well that killed all hopes of conversation. Terri hummed and continued to help the old man up toward that really creepy large mansion. The silence was tense and uncomfortable.

Thankfully, after five painful minutes, she opened the door and helped the old man into his freakishly large and sparse home. She looked around for a light switch but the large windows let in enough light from outside. In the gloom she found a massive wingback chair to help the old man into. He looked fatigued and ready to drop.

"Medicine is on bed stand, next to glass; first room on the right down left hallway at the top of the stairs," he was still breathing heavily between every few words, but it seemed sitting was already helping him. "First-aid, adjoining bathroom, under sink."

Terri nodded and hastily moved through the supper creepy and dark house. The eerie lighting from the outside was more than enough to move around but…she shuddered. Oh, slag, why'd she lose her phone.

She tried not to pay attention to how vast and empty the place felt. She tried to ignore the fact that there were seemingly no personal affects anywhere, not even in what seemed to be the master bedroom. Terri quickly grabbed everything she needed and went back down stairs.

She set the first aid kit, which she was balancing the glass of water on, on the covered table before picking up the glass and handing it to the man with the pills she held in her other hand.

"They were right were you said they were," she stated conversationally and to generate discussion should the man choose to respond after taking the meds, but he grabbed at the things and took the medicine quickly.

The old guy handed Terri the glass back and she set it on the table before opening the kit. She wanted this old guy in her sight at all times, she was not going to be played the fool, though something in her gut said she didn't need to worry about anything nefarious from him.

As Terri began to apply antiseptic to her leg she tried to begin conversation again, "So…Thank you for back there, Mr…?" she asked searchingly.

The old man sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Wayne."

"Wayne?" She nearly dropped the bloody cotton ball in shock. "As in Wayne-Powers industries?" the man made a noise at the back of his throat that suggested he was displeased. "If you could fight Powers like you did those Jokerz there'd be no more take overs," Terri joked weakly, but Mr. Wayne just shook his head as his eyes began to fall closed.

"So, you're going to just rest then? Should I let myself out?"

Mr. Wayne hummed before completely slumping in his chair, probably worn out now that the adrenaline of the fight had left.

Terri quickly finished cleaning her cuts and was surprised to find there were bandages she could use that would cover the pretty nasty scraps she had running down the length of her leg. With that done, she stood up and gathered all the things she used and found a waste-bin on her way toward the front door. However, when she opened it, Ace began snapping at her and barking fiercely.

Jumping back in alarm, she quickly shut the door and looked around for a phone. There was an ancient looking one not too far away from her and with a heavy sigh she prepared to pick it up to call her "father."

As she picked up the phone she sighed, thinking of being grounded for the rest of her life and being given a severe lecture about how she dressed and that she let herself into some old, former billionaire's house—oh! And that billionaire was a notorious womanizer on top of that. Oh yeah, this was going to go over well.

However a high pitched screeching caught her attention. She turned around and found a bat in a really ancient looking clock. How the hell did it get in there?!

Phone forgotten, she slowly approached the strange phenomena. There must be some hole in the wall and clock that got the bat in there. She had heard that in old houses bats and other creatures lived in the walls…she shuddered slightly and carefully opened the glass door to the grandfather clock.

"I'll get you out of there," she said slowly as she felt around the glass covering the face of the clock, "Just don't bite me—I really don't want rabies…" Just when she thought she found the opening for it, the whole clock backing swung open and lead down a winding stare case. Talk about a hole in the wall…

Against her better judgment, and perhaps because curiosity and her gut were telling her to, Terri cautiously began to go down the stairs. At the foot she found, presumably, a light switch—she wasn't going to take another step further without some light in this inky darkness. Once she pressed the switch, spotlights began to open up on…was that the batmobile! A jetplane?! An ancient, but clearly more sophisticated than what Terri was used to, supercomputer?

"Woah…" Eyes-wide, Terri jumped down the last bit of stairs, but out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw something. Turning with her fist raised to deck whoever it was, she paused. If there had been any doubts left in her mind of whose secret hidden cave this was, they were erased by the line of suits in glass cases.

Either Mr. Wayne was a huge, borderline sociopathic, Batman fan or…well, he was _The_ Batman. "Slag…no wonder he could fight," she breathed in amazement, hero worship official. Though before Terri knew it, or could even sense it, she was struck hard on the back with either a baton or a cane—probably a cane.

Rolling onto her back she looked up at Mr. Wayne, backlighted by the cavern. "Get out," he commanded and nearly looked like he was going to beat her with his cane while she was practically defenseless. Scrambling to her feet, she backed up from him before being roughly escorted out of his house—at least the vicious watch dog didn't snap at her once it saw his master. In fact, the dog shepherded her out of the gate.

Stumbling, thanks to a nosey dog, she grumbled, "Alright, I'm gone." She looked around for the bike she crashed and just hoped it worked, she was not going to walk all the way back to Gotham from mount creepy.

The bike ended up being trashed, but she was able to find a bus that would get her home once she got back toward the freeway. However, when she got home, the police were swarming around her home, and the smoke billowing upwards did not make her feel any relief. Panic gripped her so tightly, she could barely breathe.

Racing up to the house, she shouldered past police officers and was horrified to find spray paint all long the hallway walls…Jokerz… Were they from this night? Did they have her phone? How did they find her?

Terri's heart stopped when she saw her mom standing by the police officers. "Mom…" her eyes were stinging again but she held back the tears this time. She had to know for sure first.

"Terri!" Her mom exclaimed as she quickly enveloped her in a hug. Terri weakly returned it. "Dad" hadn't hugged her since she got out of juvie and on rare occasions, so it was so nice… "You're okay," she breathed in relief.

"Mom, what happened?" Terri asked faintly as she looked around the trashed home…what had been her home.

"A robbery," she whispered before looking back over at the police stationed around the office, "The police say it was the Jokerz. They surprised your father." That wasn't right… he wouldn't have opened the door, and there was no forced entry….

"Where is he?" she asked faintly, but Mom wouldn't answer, she just turned her head away and closed her eyes tightly. Terri jerked away and stumbled into a wall. She slid down it and pressed the heels of her hands up to her eyes.

The last thing that had passed between them was all hate. He hated her for not looking like him, for possibly not being his and he – he implied she was… and she said fuck you in return. That wasn't who they used to be. She used to be his little girl! They used to do everything together, and everything she did he was proud of.

Had he really come to hate her? He'd always be her dad no matter the legitimacy. He had scared away the monsters in the closet, and told her stories about Batman, and knights, and sometimes even a brilliant little girl named Teresa who would become a detective like she always dreamed… He had sat down with her seriously when she and Charlie got busted for their scam, and he had asked if Charlie coerced her into his plans, was he forcing her into anything else…

And now her dad was gone…just like that.

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**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3: Rebirth pt 3

_**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Batman Beyond; it belongs to its creators. I gain nothing but a writing outlet and writing/editing experience.

**Summary:** Terry could have just as easily received Bruce's spliced X instead of Y; if so, would it have all started with Matt instead? But the world, particularly Gotham, needed a Batman again. The Jokerz overran the streets, businesses were destroying the world. Pride and avarice were destroying Gotham, and Gotham needed its symbol of hope and justice again.

**A/N: **Next chapter is where the changes start taking place, and it's a long chapter. Anyways, hope you enjoy. Also, thank you to those who have reviewed, put this on alert or favorite ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter Three: **Rebirth part 3

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The days following the death were…they were a blur. The police had…the body within their custody for perhaps a day before the funeral preparations began and then the actual funeral took place. A day, only a day. How could they have done all they needed to forensically? How was a day going to point to who killed her father? It didn't add up, it was all too fast for a homicide case. It had the air of someone wanting to cover it up as quickly as possible.

Yes, there was strong evidence of Jokerz having passed through, but they could have gone there after the murder because Dad sure as hell wouldn't have opened up the door for them! It didn't add up, and Powers' remark on the news…

Terri hugged her knees to her chest and hid her face. She heard the door click open and just knew it was her mom.

"Your friends have been calling. Dana, Max, a boy named Jared?" her mother sounded slightly intrigued by the last name.

Terri closed her eyes tightly. She didn't want to hear their condolences. She wanted to hear why her father, her dad, was killed, and none of her friends could tell her that. It couldn't just be some senseless killing, Jokerz usually avoided that. Yeah, they roughed up their target but on robberies they usually just left the person alive.

Mom paused, and Terri could tell she was trying to find anything that could rouse her from her current, almost catatonic, state. Terri hadn't spoken to anyone in the last few days, she couldn't. She had been replaying the last encounter she had had with her father over and over again while she berated herself. But then, after a while, she began to wonder what made him so stressed that day, why was he startled when she came into his office space? Then her thoughts zoomed in on the fact that her father seemingly opened the door to a group of Jokerz—there had been no signs of forced entry.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Terri ignored her mother and held tighter to her knees.

Terri heard her mother's footsteps enter the room and she felt the bed dip as she sat down beside Terri. Her arm wrapped around Terri's middle and she set her head on Terri's shoulder, "You haven't said anything since that night," she murmured. After a pause she added, "Don't you want to talk?"

Terri leaned into her mother's one-armed hug and lifted her head at last. "Why would he open the door, mom?" she asked feebly, "He would have looked and seen they were Jokerz, he wouldn't have opened the door." This train of thought circled again and again in her head.

"Terri," she began but Terri hurried on.

"Could it have even been the same gang? How did they trace me back here? I mean…I lost my phone but-but—"

She pulled Terri close to her side, "Honey, we don't know if they could be the same gang, like you said."

"But how can the police even figure that out when they only had a day with Dad's—with the body?" Terri choked out and she knew her mother was at a loss for words.

"Terri you'll make yourself sick with worry and guilt if—"

"If what?" Terri shot back as she got off her bed and began pacing around, "It doesn't add up!"

"Honey…Terri," she sighed and stood up and grabbed onto Terri's shoulders.

"And we fought, Mom, just before… He-he grounded me but I didn't—and he was saying I let the rumors spread…I was so angry, I cursed at him." Terri fell into the hold, "I should have listened…I could have been here to help him. I'm not afraid of Jokerz, I'm not…"

"Terri, there was nothing you could have done, and-and I'm so sorry he said those things. You've never done anything to earn those rumors."

"Mom, I should have listened to him…I should have tried to mend things and now…"

She couldn't go on, the tears just began to fall. Her mom held her tightly and began to sway slightly. "Oh Terri, you know your father always loved you…" She seemed to be searching for words and at last she founded what she wanted to say, "You know I couldn't afford taking care of both of you after the divorce, and without hesitation, Warren chose you. You were always his little girl, even if he didn't always show it."

"It didn't seem like that anymore," Terri choked out. The words, though kind and nice, seemed meaningless and false. How could _she _know what Dad thought, she hadn't seen him this last year.

"Honey…" she sighed and squeezed Terri, "Perhaps you need closure? Should we move his things in? Maybe you can find a journal or a letter?"

Terri closed her eyes tightly for a moment but nodded her head. She then waited for her mother to leave the room so she could change out of the black funeral dress. Her limbs felt weak and she still could not fully compose herself, but she was able to put on her normal clothes before leaving her room. Matt was likely changing out of his suit and would soon be racing around the house.

Terri sighed and moved toward the car they had managed to pack all of her father's things into. Four boxes was the sum of his life now…just four boxes. Could he have really left something for her? Could it even resolve all the bitterness between them, though one-sided?

Terri picked up two boxes stacked on top of each other. She then trudged back to the house, though of course the door was closed. Shifting the boxes in annoyance she kicked at the door, since her hands were full and she needed it open.

"Who is it?" Matt called through the door.

"Matt, open the door," she called in irritation.

"I'm sorry, who is it?" the little twip was getting annoying.

"Matt I have two boxes of Dad's things so just open the door!"

"I don't open the door for strangers!" he called back and Terri gritted her teeth together though she was sorely tempted to kick the door in or yell at the brat.

"Matt open the door for your sister!" Terri could faintly hear her mother's chastisement before the little twip begrudgingly opened the door.

"You're a brat, you know that?" Terri hissed as she shoved past the brat, but she stopped and looked at her closed room.

"What?" Matt asked with a smile on his face, well he got over Dad's… Terri mentally shook the thought away and gestured to the door. That was unfair of her to say about Matt, he was young and probably didn't remember their dad very well.

Of course, the head gesture was purposely being ignored. "Would you just open the door?" Terri asked in irritation.

"Fine, fine," Matt complied begrudgingly, "It wouldn't kill you to say please, ya know!"

As Terri entered her room she looked back at him and rolled her eyes. Was he really just acting like a brat because of Dad, was that how he was coping? She set down the boxes and made a beckoning motion, "Why don't you help me sort through these things?"

Matt looked back into the living room before looking back at the boxes, "You know I don't remember him all that much." Was that why he was being a twip?

"Well," Terri began as she sat down on her bed, "These boxes are from his room and I bet there are pictures and things, okay, and I'll talk about what Dad was like, yeah?"

Matt fidgeted for a moment while he contemplated whether or not to agree. Eventually he nodded his head and sat down on the ground next to the stack of boxes.

They began to dig into the boxes, though they mostly just pulled out suits, though they smelled like him, and it was a nice remembrance. It made her think of when she was little and something had scared her, Dad had been there to pick her up and calm her down. That's what the smell on his clothes reminded her of.

"What's with this big white spot?" Matt asked as he held up one blazer. Terri glanced over and instantly began laughing.

"You were finger painting one day and then Dad came home. You were so excited to show him your painting, you gave him a running tackle and stained the suit. Then that night," Terri chuckled slightly, "I decided to clean the suit to surprise Dad, but I used bleach when I should have just washed it like a normal." She looked down at the boxes by her feet, "Hence the big white spot, though he wasn't angry, he actually just laughed it off."

Matt gave the suit a thoughtful look before pulling out a few more clothes, but then he came across a manila folder. "Hey, what's this?"

"I dunno, why don't you open it." Terri found a few picture frames toward the bottom of her box. One was of Mom and Dad's wedding day, and the next was a picture of Terri and her Dad leaning over their Mom who had the newly-born Matt in her arms.

Matt got the folder open by this point, was now pulling out finger painting after finger painting. "Why'd he keep all these?" Matt asked with his brow furrowed.

Terri looked over and her gaze softened at the sight of Matt's and her finger paintings. "I'm not sure…maybe he did really care about us…" but the validity of their birth made it hard on him?

Terri wiped at some gathering tears and began to put all the clothes back in the boxes. "Alright, there are two more boxes to go through," she stated as she stood up with a sigh.

"Aww, man! Really?"

"Yeah, you twip, so get up and be ready to hold the doors this time," she warned jokingly but Matt just stood up and blew a raspberry at her before running off into the house. Well there went that moment.

Rolling her eyes, Terri left her room to grab the last two boxes. She stacked them one on top of the other again but these boxes were even heavier than the last two. She kicked at the door impatiently, "Come on Matt, my arms are killing me, open up the door!"

"Alright, alright! I'm coming!" the brat swung the door open so forcefully that Terri, who had been in mid-kick, nearly fell through the open doorway. Then Matt was underfoot.

She looked back over at her room, which she knew she hadn't closed the door to before looking back at Matt in irritation, "Did you close my door?"

"Well duh! Mom says no open doors."

Terri took a calming breath before she responded to her brother. She wanted to yell that she was going to be right back with the other boxes, but instead she just forced herself to smile, "Well, why don't you reopen it?"

"You better start paying me for opening all these doors for you, lazy!" Matt stated obnoxiously. Did their little bonding moment five minutes ago no longer exist or something? Seriously?! He was being such a brat!

"My arms are going to fall off if you don't open that door."

"That'd be a fun sight."

Terri looked at him with a displeased expression; how the hell were they related? They looked more like each other than they did their parents, sure, but how could she have such a bratty brother?

"Oh fine!" Matt gave a put upon sigh before racing over to the bedroom door and opening it up for her. Terri sighed in relief and began to walk into her room. Of course, the twip didn't warn her she was going to walk into one of the boxes she had previously brought in.

Crying out in both frustration and surprise, she stumbled and the boxes she was carrying crashed to the floor.

"You could have told me I was going to run into those boxes!"

"So what, it's my fault now!? You're the klutz, not me."

Terri clenched her fists tightly before unclenching them and slamming the door in the brat's face. Rubbing at her face, Terri turned around to survey the damage. This was Dad's office stuff and was mostly just files and his computer…but there was…a picture.

It was taken just before her parents began fighting and going through the divorce. Terri had her arms wrapped around her father's shoulders as she gave him a hug from behind. They both looked so happy…

He had this in his office? She had never seen it before. She felt her eyes tearing up again as she picked up the now broken frame. However she felt something sticking out the back of it.

A disc? Terri quickly fired up her dad's portable computer and inserted the disc.

She didn't know what all the data meant exactly, but she knew enough to know there were chemical experiments being done and it looked like they were not the beneficial-for-humankind kind. No, these looked like chemical warfare experiments.

"What's that you're looking at?" Terri nearly jumped out of her skin at Matt's sudden appearance behind her. Reflexively she had slammed the computer shut but now she opened it back up again to show the brat; otherwise he was never going to leave her alone and might tell their mom she was looking at something inappropriate.

"I dunno, something Dad was working on."

Matt looked at it critically but then gave a theatrical yawn, "Boooring!" he then raced out of the room. Terri shook her head and went back to looking at the data on the computer. Was this what had her dad so stressed out that night? This was serious stuff; it went way past all UN laws—if she was reading this correctly.

But who could she take it to? Not the police, not when it pertained to Wayne-Powers industries…not when this could be a clue into who killed her father.

Terri ejected the disc and grabbed her coat. She then threw it on and stuffed the disc into her coat pocket.

"Terri? Are you going somewhere?" Terri looked up in surprise at her mother who was drying her hands on a towel.

"I'm going over to Dana's," hopefully her friend would forgive Terri's unannounced visit and request. She would have gone to Max but tonight was usually the night she spent time with her parents, and Terri knew how seldom those nights were becoming for her friend. She would have even asked Jared, if that didn't feel like presuming too much.

"Oh… okay, are you going to eat over at her place then?"

Terri paused and shrugged, "Not sure, maybe," she then hurried out of the house and took the first bus heading toward Dana's.

When she got to her friend's, a storm was already beginning off toward the harbor, but she still had to try. She hastily knocked at Dana's door and fortunately her friend was the one to answer—if it had been her father it would have been awkward, especially since he didn't approve of his daughter being friends with a delinquent.

"Terri?" Dana asked in surprise.

"Sorry for swinging by all of a sudden, but I need a favor." Dana looked at Terri with her brow furrowed but she slowly nodded her head.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Could you drive me up to Wayne Manor?"

"Wayne Manor?" Dana sounded both surprised and skeptical, though she was still reaching inside for her coat—which likely was on the coatrack just behind the door.

"Yeah, and I know," Terri sighed as she shook her head. Wayne manor was a creepy place, and a random place to request being taken to.

Dana shook her head as she pulled out her keys, "That place is creepy, why do you need to go there in such a rush."

Terri looked away from her friend as they got into Dana's car. "It's complicated, but…well…I-I can't say." Can't say that she was hoping Batman would come out of retirement for one night to take down Powers.

"Terri…" she began almost reproachfully, though she still started the car and was driving toward the freeway.

"It has to do with my dad, okay." Dana frowned but said nothing in reply. The drive was tense and awkward, though Terri was thankful Dana didn't try to pry any information out of her.

The storm continued to pick up as they got closer and closer to the creepy manor, but at last they were there. Dana was clearly worried, and since Terri still did not have a phone, she could understand why.

"Thanks," Terri quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and raced to the other side of the car. Lightning flashed behind her and Terri glanced backwards anxiously, "Dana, you should go before the storm hits. If you follow this road, it will curve back toward the freeway."

"But Ter—"

"Just go, I need to do this."

Dana looked at Terri for a moment, but then there was another flash of lightning followed by a crash of thunder, "Okay, but call me when you get home, otherwise I'm sending the police up to that creepy place to get you out, and I'm calling your house in an hour, 'kay?"

Terri chuckled weakly and shook her head, "Okay, Dana, thanks." She just nodded and proceeded to drive away.

Terri then turned to the intercom by the gate. The wind began to pick up more force, and Terri hugged her coat close to her as she pressed the speaker button, "Mr. Wayne, please open up, I know you're in there, this is important." No lights flickered on in the mansion, it was all dark.

"Listen to me," she began with more urgency, "Something stinks your company, and I think it cost my dad his life." She paused and fished out the disc and held it up to what appeared to be a camera, "There's evidence on this: weird chemical experiments and a bunch of graphs I don't understand the half of.

"I'd take it to the cops, but you know how cozy they are with Powers and I think this all goes back to him trying to keep this hushed up. How about you takin' a look?"

She looked back at the manor but there were again no lights, and the gate did not open. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "Come on, old man," she was so close, she just knew it, she was so close to finding out why _her_ dad had to die.

There was still no response. Terri gave a wry laugh and shook her head, as she tried to retain her composure, "I should have known you wouldn't have cared. You're no Batman anymore; you're just as complacent with all this corruption as all the other adults!" She was too angry now to watch what she was saying, "You're just some whacked out old fraud!"

Terri turned away angrily from the gate and ran a hand through her hair. Where was she going to go now?! It wasn't like she could attain evidence for herself—she might be snuffed out just like her dad. The police were a no go, Powers probably had corrupt cops in there to cover up any evidence she did bring in.

There was a creaking sound and Terri turned around in disbelief…the gate was opening. Hope swelled up inside her as she hurried through the gate. Ace approached, growling, but she was on a mission. She waved him off and hurried up the winding path toward the old man's creepy house.

Terri was greeted at the door by the surly old man. She didn't dare look at him now that he was willing to look at what she brought. In fact, she felt a little ashamed, though she wouldn't take back what she said.

"It's all on here," she stated as she handed the disc to the old man. He nodded his head and proceeded toward the old grandfather clock. Terri hesitantly followed after him. When he didn't comment she relaxed a little and followed him more closely down into, what she was calling, the Bat Cave. It was still all hard to believe.

It didn't take long for Mr. Wayne to break the final encryptions on the data and reveal just what the data was telling them. The old man looked grave and Terri could see calculation in his eyes.

"It's worse than I thought. It's some kind of new DNA mutagen," the old man sure had his dramatic timing down; "Powers is making a nerve gas."

The man ejected the disc and looked at it spitefully, "He's using my company to make nerve gas," it was almost like he couldn't believe how low that power hungry man could get, well, Terri could have told him otherwise in a heartbeat.

She shook her head and folded her arms over her chest as she looked at the last suit in the line of suits. It was menacing and looked high tech. Whoever wore this could easily take Powers down. The old man could easily come out of retirement. She hoped that was what he was planning, he sure had sounded angry at what they were doing with his company; maybe he'd act.

"Stay away from that." She could hear him approaching her but she still examined the suit.

"Synaptic controls, neuromuscular amplification, flight capability," she gave a short laugh, "This may be old, but it is still cutting-edge." The right person could take anyone down with this. "I bet it amplifies your strength by at least ten to one."

Oh…if she could just use this… Unknowingly, one hand began to reach out for it.

"I told you not to touch it." Terri looked over her should to see the old man ready to jerk her away from the suit.

"But aren't you gonna go to—"

"No."

What?! Terri whirled around in surprise, "But you built that company, and now Powers is making nerve gas there! Ya gotta do something," she urged. Was he really going to be passive about this all?! What about getting back at them, getting back at them for corrupting his company, laying off his valued workers, killing her dad?

She approached him and said more softly, almost imploringly, "You're Batman."

"I _was_ Batman." The old man looked away for a moment before holding up the disc, "Give this to commissioner Barbra Gordon. Tell her I sent you."

Terri jerked back, was this old man insane?! "The cops?!" she began shaking her head, "They're never going to be able to do it—" they were in Power's pocket.

"Do it," Mr. Wayne ordered as he practically shoved the disc in her face.

Terri looked at him in disbelief. The old man was serious, he wasn't going to be the legendary Cape Crusader and solve this himself. Her dad wasn't going to be avenged. "Something happened to you, didn't it? And it wasn't just because you got old." She shook her head as she looked the old man up and down. Someone she idolized and relied on to do the right thing really was just a fraud.

She scoffed as she grabbed the disc from him, and stowed it in her boot. She then walked back toward the stairway leading up to the main house. So much for the Bat always doing the right thing.

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**A Suivre  
**

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**A/N: **So next chapter the changes begin and continue through the next few chapters. There is a miniscule detail at the beginning of the next chapter that is really quite significant in understanding how the changes happen. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the brother-sister bonding, future chapters will be more fluffy when it comes to their interactions. ~ much love, depressedchildren


	4. Chapter 4: Rebirth pt 4

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Batman Beyond; it belongs to its creators. I gain nothing but a writing outlet and writing/editing experience.

**Summary:** Terry could have just as easily received Bruce's spliced X instead of Y; if so, would it have all started with Matt instead? But the world, particularly Gotham, needed a Batman again. The Jokerz overran the streets, business were destroying the world. Pride and avarice were destroying Gotham, and Gotham needed its symbol of hope and justice again.

**A/N: **This is where things begin to diverge more from the Batman Beyond story-line. In this first altercation is the first hint of the change, and then it builds through the chapter. I'm trying to write a Terri who relies more on strategy than physical skills, which will change a lot of future altercations. Sorry if Terri seems a little over-emotional in this chapter, but I'm a fairly stoic woman and I would have been crying during these situations. Hope you enjoy ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter 4: **Rebirth part 4

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Terri got off the bus a few blocks away from her new home. She was still too angry about the old man's lack of-of… Terri rubbed her face in frustration. She should be going to the police, but she had a feeling she ought to make copies of the disc before she went there, just in case the evidence became "corrupted." But she couldn't go straight home, she was far too pissed off. Everyone's childhood hero turned out to be some fraud, and it felt like a part of her identity was crushed with this revelation. The whole situation took away her hope.

She needed to cool down before she came home. Her mom would know instantly that something was upsetting her, and Terri just didn't know how she could even respond if she was asked what was bothering her.

Terri looked behind her as a set of headlights appeared and lit in front of her. The car then veered right around her and cut off her way forward.

What was this? She backed away from the car with her hands in a defensive position. However her body collided with something solid, she knew there hadn't been anyone there when she looked behind her. Turning slowly, she dreaded what she'd find. Did some Jokerz highjack that car? Had the Jokerz from that terrible night found her?

No…it was some big hulking man with a scar over a dead eye. The man gave her a little smile and she was cursing herself for wandering the streets of_ Gotham_ alone and at night. She was going to be raped, wasn't she?

She could hear a window being rolled down from the car's direction and she cautiously looked over at her potential assailant. Yes, it was her own fault for walking around at night, but did she look a prostitute or like she wanted to get picked up by perverts.

When she saw the person in the car, her fears for her virtue diminished but her dread did not lessen; in fact, it became stronger.

Like a deer in headlights Terri shifted her gaze between the two. Powers had what Chelsea would call a suave smile on his face, but Terri thought it was just a hideous mask. "Hello Terri," he began, "ever had a ride in a limo?" he asked in what was borderline suggestive but was clearly threatening.

"I'm not one of those girls!" she exclaimed, as her arms instantly wrapped around her body. She knew that wasn't the man's intention, but if she could get him off guard she might be able to escape because there was no way in hell she was getting in that limo! "I-I mean, I am out late, I know but I'm not—"

"I am merely offering a young, defenseless woman, such as yourself, safe passage home."

"No thanks. My dad always said, never take rides from strangers. Besides, my house is just a few blocks—"

"I'm no stranger—"

"But that's the third suggestive remark you've made. If I wanted to be sexually harassed—"

"Be smart about this Terri," Powers' gaze hardened for a moment while the door opened. "Now that your father's no longer with us, we wouldn't want his little girl walking the streets at night alone."

She heard the threat loud and clear. She bowed her head and mumbled, "It's really just two blocks—" The big guy behind her set a hand on her shoulder and pushed her slightly forward.

She jerked to the side, "I'll pass," she stated with more strength, but the thug grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. "Help! Anyone! Help!" She tried to fight out of the man's hold but his grip was like a vice. He reached into her jacket and for a moment she truly was afraid of something more nefarious than she though Powers was capable. "Help! Get off of me!" The thug growled at her and began to steadily push her into the limo.

"That won't do you any good, Terri" Powers sneered, "Make it easier on yourself."

"Don't think you can get away with raping—"

"Who said anything about that?" he snapped, "Give me back my disc," he practically growled the question.

Terri stopped her struggling and put on her best confused look, "What disc?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he gritted out with his lips pulled back in a sneer.

Terri remained still and silent for a moment, an idea was coming to her. "Alright," she stated, "But only if _he_ let's go," she jerked her head behind her and Powers nodded his head.

Rubbing her arms, where there were bound to be forming bruises, she gave the thug a glare before reaching down into her boot. She retrieved the disc and motioned like she was going to give it to Powers but then she threw it as far and as high into the air as she could. In their momentary distraction she gave the thug a round house kick to the stomach. The force of the attack made him double over, clutching his stomach, as he fell to the ground. She laced her knuckles and struck down on the back of the thug's head while he was doubled over.

Now positive the creep was down for a while, Terri raced out of there, and didn't dare to look back. She knew she'd be dead otherwise, in fact, she heard guns being cocked and fired after her. Could she even go home at this point, wouldn't that just put the rest of her family in danger? She jumped off the level, caught onto a lamp post light, fortunately caught its wire, and was able to drop the rest of the ten feet without injury. She then sprinted away; just knowing a gun was pointed at her back.

Before she ducked into the alley she looked behind her and saw one of their guns flash on the level she had left, but it wasn't at her. Who…? She ducked into an alley and looked back up now that she wasn't running, but the men were gone now, though there was no way she was going to get back at them, especially before they took out her family. She ran practically the whole way to Wayne Manor, though she stopped to pick up the some rope at a store before she finished her trek. If the old man wasn't going to help her, if the old man wasn't going to be Batman, then…well, she would. Screw his opinion on it. She had to keep her family safe because Powers knew she was still out there and that they were leverage on her.

She easily detained Ace and quickly looked in one of the massive windows. The old man was nowhere in sight, but the television was on and there was a light from what Terri believed was the kitchen. She could easily sneak in.

Taking out a credit, she kneeled in front of the door and easily unlocked before opening it—the things Charlie taught her. She closed the door behind her and hurried to the grandfather clock. With trembling hands she snuck into the secret passage, close it after her, and stole down into the Bat Cave. Opening the case with the newest suit, she quickly kicked off her pants and threw off her shirt and jacket. She had to hurry, the old man would find out any minute!

She had thought about the Batgirl suit, but she needed power and flight capabilities—especially in a multi leveled city like Gotham.

The Batman suit felt so strange. It formed to her body, but at the same time, the mechanics pressed in on her too, like a thin layer of protection.

She caught her reflection in the glass of the case. She hadn't had any curves to speak of before, except her backside if all the times she'd been groped were any indication, but now with this suit on she looked like a very slender man. She had an apple figure, broad shoulders, narrow hips, and it was never more evident than when wearing this suit.

She held the cowl in her hands; this would truly hide her identity. It would completely take away any femininity left. She slipped it on. Immediately she grimaced at how her bob-cut plastered her hair to her cheeks and even into her eyes. It took nearly three tries before the cowl fit right with her hair not getting in the way.

Then she was out. She found an exit at the back of the cavern, and it was the perfect time to test out those flight capabilities. Her first attempt landed her smashed against the wall, but fortunately it hadn't made much noise. Soon she got the hang of the wings and the jets, and she was out of there. Of course, even when she had the flying down, the landing was no so good.

She had to figure out how to follow the air currents without being thrown into buildings but landing was just atrocious. She nearly fell off one roof, though she imagined she just looked like any baby bat flying for the first time. She shook the image from her head and saw her target off in the distance. Bracing herself, Terri jumped off the roof and caught an upward rising current and road along that while moving fluidly between buildings and gaining speed from their air currents. When the current died down, she pressed her heels together to activate the jets and it gave her the last boast she needed to land on her target building. From where she crouched she could see Powers, his goon, and some ambassador, seemingly talking.

Terri needed to get a closer look. She felt another air current going in the direction she need so she opened the wings and dove into it. She then landed on the narrow ledge outside of Powers' window and crept along it in a crouch. She knew there were sensors in the fingertips of the suit that could pick up sound, and so she pressed them against the glass.

"I trust the film puts to rest any lingering doubts, Mr. Eagans," Powers' voice reverberated in the cowl. "As you can see, the results are the same, even with animals."

"And humans?" the foreigner asked. Terri shuddered involuntarily, they must be talking about that nerve gas. "You've tested it on them, too?"

"The laws here aren't as liberal about that sort of thing as in your country," Powers replied calmly, though Terri could hear a smile in his voice. "But we did have a little accident—one of my workers. Terrible thing," his tone was so sardonic that Terri felt both sickened and enraged by the man. "There was a gas leak in his lab."

Terri wouldn't risk looking into the room but at Powers next words, she had a feeling he was showing the man pictures, "This is what he looked like the next day, two hours later, an hour after that."

"There is no cure?" the man asked, almost fearfully, and with good reason, Terri imagined.

"Extreme heat or radiation," Powers replied dryly, "But at this stage it is obviously not an option." Terri furrowed her brows, what exactly was he talking about? Was there another photo after the last one? "Dust to dust," Powers remarked morbidly though with clear amusement.

"Consider what a real dose of this gas could do to those six armored divisions your neighbors keep on their boarders, gone in a matter of hours..."

Terri knew it. Powers was making this gas for chemical warfare. He was breaking UN law! They had agreed after the First World War, never again, using chemicals was crossing the line.

"Delivery?" the foreigner asked, "It's in progress?"

"My men are loading the canisters as we speak," Powers replied smoothly. "They leave tonight in hover transport. My assistant, Mr. Fixx will personally supervise the shipment."

"Excellent," the foreigner replied, oh so pleased with the whole transaction. "Good-bye Mr. Powers. I will see you again soon." The man paused before adding, "I hope."

"Yes, soon." Powers replied.

There was a pause and Terri assumed the foreigner left, "Mr. Fixx, any word on the girl?"

"Not yet, but they're looking."

"I don't have to tell you how important this deal is for Wayne-Powers," there was a threat in Powers' voice. "It's going to open up the entire Eastern Bloc for us, so I don't need it spoiled by a snot-nosed punk." Terri gritted her teeth at Powers words.

"I took care of her parents, didn't I?" Mr. Fixx replied cockily. Terri felt her blood run cold and the world felt like it was spinning away. He said parents…_parents. _This confirmed that her father was killed because all of this, and it wasn't some Joker who did it either but that man, hired by Powers. And he had…killed her mom too…when? Where was Matt, was he fine!?

Her hands were trembling as she gnashed her teeth together. So she found the ones responsible and the reason why, but the world just seemed like it was slipping away from her. Maybe it was a mistake? Maybe they thought they'd killed her mom, maybe Matt was at home safely asleep! She heard a gun cock.

"A little early for Halloween," building guards were lined up to her right along the edge.

Her throat felt too tight to respond to their taunt, and she felt so numb. Before they could shot her, she tipped backwards off of the ledge. Terri wove through their lasers as she made her way down toward the ground. Once she landed and began running, the alarms went off.

Terri raced through the halls when a storage/warehouse opening appeared on her right. She quickly dove into the space left open at the bottom and quickly hid behind some crates. The wannabe Storm Troopers raced passed the hanger like warehouse. She still couldn't breathe, couldn't think! How was her family? Her body was in autopilot.

She was just backing away to find a better hiding spot when she heard her name being growled into her head, "McGinnis! Can you hear me?"

That sounded like Mr. Wayne, and he was pissed! But where the hell was he? Did he know about her parents?

She gasped and whirled around. "Wh-who is it?" her voice was tight and strained, she felt like she was near tears, but at the same time, she just wanted to…to kill Fixx for what he did, might have done…

"It's Wayne."

She cringed and looked about frantically, "Mr. Wayne. How are you talking to me?" it sounded like he was right there, but God, how was Mom, and _Matt_?!

"There's a radio receiver in the cowl." So she wasn't going crazy. But then if he was speaking to her through radio, then he could tell her about her mom and Matt.

"How is my mom?!" she asked quickly, before tacking on, "and Matt?" God, the room was spinning around her and she could see the guards beginning to enter the warehouse.

"Now listen, Mc—Excuse me?" her fearful question must have derailed what he intended to say, though his tone was none the less harsh.

"I-I heard Powers and his goon talking," she looked around the warehouse as she crept further into it. "Fixx said he..." she was starting to breakdown, she gasped for breath, "took care of my parents."

"What?!" she could hear, over the radio, numbers being punched into a phone angrily and hastily.

"Barbra—what do you mean now isn't a good time?!" there was a pause, "McGinnis?" he asked this Barbra in tone that said he was dreading the answer. There was a short pause and then Terri heard the old man slam something. "Your brother needs you, and I want that suit back, now." Terri shuddered at the anger and authority in the old man's voice, but his words made her stomach drop.

Terri pressed herself against some crates and felt the tears coming, "I would but," she gasped and looked over at the guards moving further into the warehouse, "now's not a good time."

"That suit is not yours." No shit! Terri looked behind her anxiously and ran toward the darkest sections. How soon would it be when they'd turn on the lights? "You had no right to take that," the old Bat was getting angry, but Terri was running for her life right now, for Matt. She hurdled over a crate and continued running. She needed to find some exit, somewhere, she had to stop Fixx, she had to avenge her parents, she had to be there for Matt too! It was all conflicted in her head, everything was just swirling around.

"Somebody had to do something, and you sure weren't about to." Terri was gasping as she tried to keep from crying, "And what about my parents!"

"What about your brother!" the old man retorted. "Listen, if you used the sensor in the finger-tips they record sound-bytes but only for so long after. We'll get them to the police."

"You know Powers will do whatever he can to get himself and his goon out—they have the police in their pocket!"

"McGinnis! I'm warning you. Leave this to the police and bring me back that suit."

Terri nearly flinched at the growl in his voice, but her own panic about her current situation and emotional distress made her pay it less attention. The guards were closing in. They were searching between the crates and it would be any moment now that they'd find her.

"He's over there! Over there!" Slag! Terri bolted toward the middle of the crates and then jumped up on top of them before the guards could catch her. She watched from above their confusion as the space between the crates turned up empty.

She dove down and barreled into the guards. She then used the jets to land on a crane arm to better survey the area. This suit certainly worked better than she had ever thought it could. She would deal with things one at a time, she decided. Terri smiled darkly, she'd get Fixx, then she'd be there for her brother.

"This is your last chance," Terri had nearly forgotten about Mr. Wayne. "You better take it."

"No thanks," she whispered as she ducked behind the arm of the crane to avoid the lasers now pointed at her. "I have some asses to kick, and a Fixx to deal with."

"Is that so?" The old man asked, "Leave it to the police Terri. This is your last warning."

"No," Terri responded immediately. She then dropped down from the crane onto one guard before kicking another and disarming two more. If there was rope or something, she could tie them up and be done with them, but she still wasn't all that familiar with the suit.

She was scanning for an exit when three guards circled around her, "He's mine!" one called and she put up her fists in a defensive stance.

But then something happened, she couldn't move. It was like the suit was immobilized.

"Hey, I can't move, what'd you do?" she asked under her breath as quickly as she could while she tried to resist the suit.

"It's a fail-safe device—paralyzes the suit in case the wrong person gets into it." At least the old man had thought of that, but this was a really bad time for activating such a fail-safe.

Terri wanted to respond to what the old man said, but the guard was right in front of her. He punched her hard across the face and there was nothing she could do. Then they were all there, beating on her. She couldn't even move her feet, it was like they had been magnetized to the floor. She gritted her teeth together and swallowed the screams she wanted to emit. Each blow fell on her hard and sharp.

"Come on, you gotta help me," she whispered, but something told her he wasn't going to listen. He had given her an out, several times, but her grief and anger made her refuse. But the police couldn't do anything, she just knew that!

The guards kept kicking her across the torso and she did her best not to cry out in pain even when they struck her breasts. The suit might provide some protection but Terri knew she was going to start coughing up blood pretty soon. She gritted her teeth and wished there was some way to turn or anything! If she could just hold up her arms protectively.

It kept going on and on. She choked down her cries when at last, one guard said, "Out of the way." He cocked his gun. She stared up at the man helplessly. Matt… he'd lose his whole family tonight.

"Mr. Wayne…they're gonna kill me. Oh god, Matt…" she whispered weakly, she could hear the pain in her own voice. She cringed but there was little else she could do. The gun was at her head now. She was really going to die here, and Matt would be left wondering why the rest of his life. Why his mother was senselessly taken from him, and why his sister was found dead in some warehouse wearing a Batman suit. He'd grow up bitter, angry…she just knew it, and if Mom was gone… Terri had to be there for him. Tears started flowing, and she couldn't stop them, she gasped a few times and tried to force them back.

Then she felt it, the suit was hers to control again. She curled a fist and smiled faintly beneath the mask. After tonight she'd be there for Matt, she'd make sure he didn't grow up bitter and mean like a certain old man she had read up on.

She then pressed the triggering device that let loose a boomerang like weapon, which she then used to disarm the guard about to kill her. Once the gun was off her, she gave the surrounding guards a spinning roundhouse kick before punching out the last two. She panted slightly at the exertion and the pain breathing put on her likely bruised ribs.

But then there were more guards coming. She had to get out of here, no more games! She remembered seeing a window somewhere. She leapt over conveyer belts and jumped a top the crate towers. She then sprinted across the tops while guards shot at her. She wheezed as she raced, but if she slowed down, that would be the end of her, and she couldn't do that too Matt—she couldn't let her parents go unavenged.

She dove into a shadowed opening on one of the crate towers.

"McGinnis," Mr. Wayne chimed back in, "I gave you a break, I want that suit back now, and you have Matt to get to."

"Love to," Terri replied, her voice still tight, "but I've got these guards all over me."

"There's a broom closet over on the north wall." Terri looked over in that direction, "Can you get to it?"

"A broom closet?" Really? She saw it, yeah, but what good would it do her?

"Do it?" he snapped.

Terri looked again in that direction, thankfully no guards were there yet. She jumped down and once she made sure the coast was clear, she raced toward the slightly opened door.

"Now I'm a sitting duck," she remarked as she looked around the small room, she held a hand to her ribs as she wheezed slightly and looked around the small room.

"The far wall—put your hand against it" the old man commanded. Terri looked where she was directed and if not for the guards heading her way, she wouldn't have complied. "Push hard," Wayne continued.

As she pressed against the wall with all she had, it actually moved. Holy shit! "Cool."

"I built the place, remember?" that would teach her to underestimate the old man, though did all his buildings have these passageways so he could escape things or do Batman business?

"Then you'd know where they'd be loading a hover transport, wouldn't you?" she asked as she looked around what appeared to be a pipe room. She had some business with Mr. Fixx, and she did not want to be stalled for much longer, she had to get back to Matt.

"Forget it, you're coming back here."

"Powers is shipping out the gas tonight," how could he just let this all go? They were so close to stopping an all-out chemical war, which could eventually drag in all the nations! "It's gotta be stopped!"

"And you have your brother to look after!" he paused briefly and she wanted to fight him, "I'll call the police, let them handle it."

How could he let them? They'd be too late! "I can do it!" Terri insisted, though she was wheezing still. This wasn't just for her parents, this was for everyone. She couldn't let this happen.

"I'll shut down the suit again," Mr. Wayne threatened, "and this time it will be for good."

She'd be willing to stop them in her underwear if she had the physical strength required, but the tussle by Powers' car told her she'd be no match with Mr. Fixx without the suit—by the car…that extra laser shot on the level she had left… Terri had only been a few blocks from home, and Dana had said she'd call her mom after an hour, what if…what if her mom had gone out looking and-and. Terri's legs gave out under her and she gasped for breath.

"I read up on you, Mr. Wayne," she began even as tears began to fall from her eyes, "I-I know how you lost your folks."

Terri gasped and shook her head. Had she really…was it her fault her mom…. Oh God! "It's my fault, Mr. Wayne…my mom was out when Powers and Fixx took the disc back…she was looking for me…I just know it…Sh-she must have seen them shooting at me…Oh God!"

She gasped for breath several times before she could speak again, "The guy who murdered my _parents_ is on that transport. This is my _one _chance to nail him—to try to get closure—to make up." Terri closed her eyes tightly and gasped a few more times.

"Fixx took my chance to mend things with my dad away, he took Matt's chance at a normal life away, he took our _mom_—we're gonna be separated and when I turn eighteen there's no way they'll give me custody" her voice choked up but her tears were starting to subside. "If he's still out there after tonight, I'll know I just stood by and let him escape." Terri let out a shaky breath as she tried to calm down. There was a long heavy silence and Terri knew she was going to have to go home knowing she could have avenged her parents but never took the chance.

"The Hover pads are in the Northeast sector," elation filled her at the old man's words. Sniffling, she raced off in that direction.

"Wish me luck," she whispered before racing on despite her bruised body. She had to get him, it had been her fault her mom was out there.

It took a few minutes but she quickly found the loading bay and she hid beneath the walkways above the bay thanks to magnetized feet. She straightened once the guards passed and she looked down at Fixx and Powers. She extended out the radio receptors in the suit's fingertips to catch Powers talking about Terri giving the guards trouble.

"They're almost finished loading the gas," Fixx told Powers.

"Good, the sooner the better." Powers put his phone away, "They haven't found the trespasser yet, and I don't want him interfering." Well too bad, she was going to interfere, she was going to shut down their operation.

"Hey look! There he is!" she really needed to find a better hiding place when she used those things, it completely blocked out all other sounds. She glanced over at the guard who spotted her.

Demagnetizing the boots, she dropped down from the pipe she'd been hanging to and opened up the wings to lessen her fall and let her glide above the ground toward the loading bay. She made loops to dodge their lasers, and she quickly tackled all the guards with one swipe from the side. They were all lined up that it made it child's play. She landed and abruptly turned on Fixx and Powers. With one bound, she landed right in front of them.

She wanted to tell them they were under arrest, but just seeing that murderer boiled her blood. All she was able to do was pull out a set of handcuffs from the utility belt. However, unbeknownst to her a crane arm reached out and knocked her off her feet and to the side.

"Get the hovercraft into the air!" she heard Powers yell, likely at Fixx.

Terri groaned as she pushed herself back onto her feet. She was going to be black and blue, and she was absolutely positive at least one rib was broken. Hissing, she looked up to see the crane approaching her. She backed up and ended up colliding with one of the crates the nerve gas had been in.

The machine picked her up in its grip and began to squeeze. Choking she tried to open its pincer like arms, but it was no use. Extending out one hand, a bat boomerang like weapon opened up into her hand. She took aim at the driver of the machine and hit him spot on so that he fell unconscious. She dropped out of the pincer and breathed a sigh of relief. She definitely had two broken ribs now.

Cradling her chest, she looked around for Fixx or Powers. But Powers found her first and began shooting at her. She managed to flip out of the way but that just confirmed her suspicions about her ribs. She hissed as she quickly crouched behind the crane/pincer machine and cautiously looked over the side. Powers hadn't followed her movement when she dodged him, good.

She pulled out one more projectile and threw it at him despite the pain the motion caused. Powers easily shot it to smithereens. Now she gave away her position. She jumped deeper into the machine's shadow and ended up behind a canister of the gas. Powers was facing the other way so she seized the moment.

She lifted up the canister, hissing in pain but gritting through it, and threw it at Powers. He likely assumed it was another projectile and shot at it without thinking. Terri dove off the edge of the loading bay with Powers screams ringing in her ears. She caught a current and rode it up onto the hovercraft.

She could barely hang onto the hovercraft as it sped away from loading pad. Looking at the hands of the suit she found they could change into claws. Smiling, she dug them into the plane wing and began to scale across it despite her protesting muscles and torso. She just hoped she didn't puncture a lung, though the suit really did keep everything pressed tightly together.

She ripped open the hatch, and took care of the waiting guards by throwing them out of the plane. She then launched herself at the pilots chair but no one was there, though she noted the hovercraft was in auto pilot. Just as she began to look around for Fixx, she heard an electric crackling, and when she turned toward the sound she found Fix with electric, iron knuckles.

His punch sent her flying backwards and she crashed against the glass windshield. She fell with a thud onto the ground. Fixx charged at her, not giving her any chances to put up a guard. One punch after another and she was swung back toward the main part of the craft. Blood trickled out of her mouth as she saw Fixx prepare his finishing blows. She couldn't die here; she was too close!

She caught his left hook and then his right, and began to push him back but he was still a little stronger than her despite the suits power-up. She gritted through the pain her action put on her and her bruised or broken ribs.

"You're pretty strong," he commented as he pressed her against the pilot's seat, "For some clown who thinks he's Batman."

She might not be the right gender, but she knew what Batman stood for. He stood for justice in a corrupt city; he had been a symbol of hope at a desperate time when The Joker terrorized the streets. He was a brilliant detective, and he always did the right thing.

Gotham needed a Batman more than ever! They had Jokerz running around terrorizing everyone, even swamping the police. Businessmen like Powers were corrupting the industry even further than it already was, even going so far as to introduce chemical warfare to the highest bidder. Gotham needed a Batman, and if the old man was too afraid or just unable to be him anymore, then she'd step up to the plate.

"I _am _Batman," she growled. A sudden surge of strength came over her, and perhaps that coupled with Fixx's clear surprise at hearing the slightly too-high-pitched-to-be-male voice, allowed Terri to push him back enough so that she could take four swings at him.

Fixx got over his surprise quickly and came back with two of his own punches, but Terri dodged them and got right up into his guard. She punched him in the jaw so hard that he was flung backwards and landed into the control panel of the ship. His electrified weapon entered into the panels and completed a full circuit. Terri felt no sympathy as he was electrocuted, put eventually he slumped forward and the auto-pilot was disengaged. The plane went out of control but Terri managed to escape before it sank.

From there she flew straight home. She snuck into her room through the window, and was ready to just crash, but she had some injuries to take care of and a brother to comfort. She felt spent, physically and emotionally. She got him…she got the man that had killed her parents…

As Terri stripped off the suit, she couldn't stop crying, would they be proud of her? Would they forgive her?

In her mirror she saw already forming bruises and her ribs looked particularly bad. She looked through her still packed boxes for the first aid kit and pulled out a variety of bandages—It looked like she would have to keep everything boxed up to wherever the system took her.

Terri focused on other things; she had too, so she remembered having to learn how to patch up ribs when Charlie would get into those bad fights with other gangs. She laughed slightly and began securing her ribs so they wouldn't move about more than they likely already were. The suit really did keep everything in place due to the way it hugged her body, and the extra padding it had, had helped. But without the suit on she could really feel the full extent of the damage.

With her chest wrapped she threw on her street clothes and kicked the suit under the bed. She was so tired but she had to find Matt. Terri did her best to hurry out of the room, it was completely dark. No lights on anywhere. She moved over to Matt's room but it was empty.

She took a deep breath and left the house, and when the wind whipped through her, she wished she hadn't left her coat in the Bat Cave. As she moved down the street she could see a few police cars still around the area where she had run away from Powers and Fixx. She tried to stay calm, to not show she knew what was happening. When she came upon the scene an old woman with glasses and a trench coat looked up at her sharply.

"Terri McGinnis?" She asked and Terri nodded her head slowly. She tried to look over at where a forensics person was taking pictures, but she saw no body… "Did Bruce inform you?"

"Bruce?" she asked. Had they already bagged her mother up? Her voice felt tight, her head was spinning again.

"Bruce Wayne," the old woman asked tiredly, as if she didn't have the patience for this.

Terri looked at the woman sharply and could only nod, was this that Barbra he had called? Wait…wasn't the commissioner's name _Barbra_ Gordon…no wonder the old man was so confident in the commissioner listening to her. Terri shook her head and took several short breaths.

"Where's Matt?" Terri's voice was shaking and she knew she was going to cry again. God, she hadn't been this emotional since she abor—no, she didn't like thinking about that time. She had been young, and desperate.

The old woman gave a wry laugh, "Apparently he didn't tell you enough," she shook her head as if she was chastising her self—like she should have expected this. "Matt's at Gotham General," Terri's heart stopped and her throat closed tightly, but the commissioner went on, "waiting for your mother to come out of surgery."

"She's alive…" Terri suddenly felt faint, her mother wasn't dead then? But Mr. Wayne…

"For the time being," the commissioner stated grimly as she nodded, "For more information you'll have to go to Gotham General."

Terri nodded her head and felt herself smiling, her mother wasn't dead… or at least not yet. "Smith, Black," the commissioner ordered two police men, "Would you escort Miss McGinnis to Gotham General."

Terri was helped into the back of the police car, and though it was reminiscent of three years ago, she didn't pay it much mind.

Terri couldn't stop smiling or crying in relief. Her mother was alive…but then…why had Mr. Wayne said she was dead… No…wait, he never said she was dead just that Matt needed her. Why didn't he just ease her worries, why would he put her through that!? Unless…unless her mother was likely to not survive the surgery.

He didn't want to get her hopes up only for them to be crushed…Terri's breathing picked up pace, "Can we go a little faster?" she asked the officers in a strained voice.

"We'll be there shortly," one stated, but to Terri it didn't feel like a reassurance. She sat in the back of car with the walls pressing in on her. She tried to keep calm but she couldn't…the car ride was taking too long! And each breath she took was a painful reminder of what she had gone through that night.

When Gotham General pulled up, Terri didn't wait for the car to come to a complete stop. She unbuckled the seatbelt and wrenched open the door. Within moments she was flying up the staircase to the main lobby despite her aching ribs. She looked around frantically for a familiar face but she saw no one.

Running up to the desk, "McGinnis," she wheezed out, her breath caught a few short, painful times, but she pushed through it.

The receptionist blinked for a moment before looking over at her computer and clicking a few things, "Marry McGinnis is still in surgery."'

"Where do I wait?" Terri demanded and looked around the lobby for some sign.

"Third floor, it will be on right when you exit the elevator."

Terri nodded her head and breathed a thank you before racing over to the elevator. She grimaced through her pain and soon was on her way up to floor number three. When she got there she turned right and immediately saw the sign for the waiting room.

She walked more sedately forward and soon came upon one of her mother's coworkers sitting beside Matt.

"Terri?" the woman, Susan Clearwater, asked as she stood up. Matt was still asleep, curled up in his chair and hugging his stuffed dinosaur. "Oh my goodness, what happened to you?" she asked as she approached Terri and began to reach for her face.

Terri moved out of the hold and hurried over to her brother, "Just some Jokerz," she stated with a forced smile, "you should see them," she added over her shoulder before shaking Matt's shoulder.

The boy rubbed at his eyes tiredly, "Is mom out of surgery yet?" he asked before his eyes fixed on Terri. "Terri!" he launched himself at her and she caught him, though she couldn't stop from grimacing at the impact he made with her torso.

"Where were you?" Matt asked weakly, "Mom went out to look for you!" Terri looked away at the accusation and bit her lip.

"I…I'm sorry Matt," she looked back over at her brother and she shook her head. She felt the tears coming again, "I'm really sorry!" She couldn't say anymore, instead she held him tightly and cried for what felt like the thousandth time that night.

After an undefinable amount of time, their mother's coworker helped them up into a chair, and once Matt fell back asleep—this time hugging Terri's arm tightly—she explained the situation. Mom had been in surgery for nearly four hours, and the chances of survival were…well, not very favorable. If she did survive the surgery, it was likely she'd been in a coma for a long, long time, longer than they could afford her to be on life support. There was a slim chance she could wake up, and with technology advancing the chances would rise, but…

Terri tried to stay up, stay up to hear whether her mother survived the surgery or not. But the adrenaline had faded from her system and she was spent in every way—emotionally, mentally, physically. She couldn't remember falling asleep or waking up when the surgery was finally over. She couldn't remember waking Matt up and moving into their mother's recovery room; she couldn't remember doing anything. The world had just drifted away in a haze, and she slept.

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**A suivre**

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**A/N: **As stated this is where things begin to diverge more from the story-line of the series. I am trying to write continuous scenes, but eventually that will begin to break up. Hope you enjoyed the twist to the series ~ much love, depressedchildren


	5. Chapter 5: Aftermath pt 1

_**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Batman Beyond; it belongs to its creators. I gain nothing but a writing outlet and writing/editing experience.

**Summary:** Terry could have just as easily received Bruce's spliced X instead of Y; if so, would it have all started with Matt instead? But the world, particularly Gotham, needed a Batman again. The Jokerz overran the streets, business were destroying the world. Pride and avarice were destroying Gotham, and Gotham needed its symbol of hope and justice again.

**A/N: **This was originally going to be one really long chapter, but I wanted to keep the no scene transition challenge for a little while longer, at least until "black-out" chapter. So I'm trying to be realistic here at least with the legal ramifications of what has happened. Hope you enjoy this short chapter ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter 5:** Aftermath pt 1

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"Teresa McGinnis?" Terri jerked awake and looked about her in a daze. She had had the most vivid, bizarre, and terrible dream. She…she had nearly gotten her mother killed and then she had become Batman and had stopped a chemical warfare scheme. But was that all a dream? Had she been Batman for one night…? What a weird dream…usually she was batgirl when she had those dreams.

However, now that sleep had left her, she realized she was in a hospital and when she looked over toward the bed…Oh God! Terri got to her feet and moved to her mother's bedside, though she grimaced with each movement and breath—she felt like she had been run over by a truck.

Her mom was so pale, and there were more wires than Terri cared to count connecting her mother to what sustained her life.

"Miss McGinnis," Terri looked behind her at what could only be a case manager of some sort. Terri looked back down at her mother.

"Are we going to be put in a home?" Both her parents were single children, and only their grandmother on their father's side still lived. Of course Grandmother McGinnis lived off in Dakota Fields and she didn't want anything to do with Terri or Matt—she had never thought they had been her son's children.

"We are still looking at options, but we are currently contacting your god-parents."

Terri turned to face the woman fully. The woman looked taken aback by the bruises likely covering Terri's visible skin, "We have different god-parents, so no matter what we'll be separated?" Terri gestured between herself and her brother. She could hear her own pathetic hopeful question hanging off of her statement: was there any way _not_ to be separated?

The woman shifted uncomfortably but nodded her head to Terri's statement. Terri looked over at Matt and sighed before wincing at how her lungs pressed against her injured ribs. They were going to be separate.

She supposed she could apply for emancipation, but she neither had the funds nor the means to support both herself and her brother. There was also the small matter of her having a record and therefore no court would let her have custody. Not to mention, her disappearance last night couldn't have put her in a good light to take on a child let alone when she reappeared covered in bruises.

"We could always try to find a family who could take you both, it is only a year until you turn eighteen."

Terri grimaced at the truth of that statement but nodded. She looked back over at her mother, "How strong of a custody case, could I have?"

"Without a stable or financially secure job and your record…" the woman trailed off and Terri sighed heavily. That's what she had been thinking.

"She's just in a coma, couldn't we—"

"But it's only a matter of time. Miss McGinnis, you do have some money from your father's estate but it won't cover your mother's medical bills or the expenses of raising a child and yourself."

Terri looked back over at Matt who was starting to stir. Biting her lip, Terri moved over to the little twip and shook him awake, though she did her best to hide her grimace at the movement. "Whaz it Terri?" he asked sleepily.

"I need to talk to this case manager," Terri jerked her head over toward the woman. Matt blinked owlishly a few times before looking at Terri again.

"About what?" Terri bit her lip and looked away from Matt at his question, "Are we going to be put in an orphanage?"

"Mom's not dead," Terri replied softly, though she couldn't help but chagrin at her own words.

"But…?" Matt urged. His eyes were trembling with unshed tears.

"We can't live on our own…"

"You used to babysit me," Matt protested.

Terri nodded her head, "Yeah, but this is a little different."

"Because Mom might not ever wake up?"

Terri winced and nodded her head slowly, "Yes…and I can't support us."

Matt took a deep breath and looked away from Terri with his arms folded over his chest. "Just go do your stupid talk!" she could tell he was trying not to cry. She started to reach out to pull him into a hug, but he jerked back against his chair.

The patient case manager held out her hand to help Terri up, but Terri ignored the offer and stood up by herself, though she winced at the pain wracking her body. She looked behind her at her mother before she left the room with the woman.

They walked down the hall until they reached the lobby of the floor. "I understand this is a difficult for you both, but we will keep options as open as possible. However, I'm afraid emancipation and adoption are unlikely options.

"I understand that you want to be with your brother—"

"He needs me!" Terri hissed before whirling around and facing the window. She set her hands against the windowsill and bowed her head. Pain accompanied her with each movement and breath but she pushed it aside to focus on the matter at hand.

"I understand your concern Miss McGinnis," the woman stated patiently.

Terri shook her head, the whole lobby sounded like everything was normal—the elevator dinged, people were chatting away, people were walking and wheeling by—but it wasn't all normal! Terri's mother was in a coma because of her, and though she got the bastard that killed her father and nearly killed her mother, she could do nothing to keep her brother with her, like he should be.

The woman sighed, "We'll try to find you and your brother a family that will accept both of you."

"But we wouldn't have to resort to that if I could just support us!" Terri nearly shouted as she turned to face the woman again, but that was when she recognized a specific hunched old man walking confidently with his cane toward them from the elevator.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," Terri froze at the old man's words. The case manager turned in alarm.

"Excuse me?" the woman asked in disbelief, and Terri could see suspicion in her narrowed eyes.

"Bruce Wayne," the old man held out his hand to greet the woman and she looked taken aback though she still shook his hand. Mr. Wayne then turned to Terri, "Teresa, I offer my sympathies to you in this troubling time, but perhaps I can assist you?"

"Um…" Terri was at a loss for words as she fought down a blush. Oh God, she had been Batman last night, _she_, and here was the original Batman. Oh God! She had even said she _was_ Batman last night….not that she'd take it back but _he _probably heard her say that!

"I'm sorry, but how do you know Miss McGinnis?" the case manager demanded in a restrained yet polite manner.

"Why, I owe her my life," he explained, his tone was so…so calm and charismatic, a stark contrast to his threats and harsh tone the night before. Though at the same time, to Terri, the old man was laying it on thick—it was like he was trying to play the defenseless old man card, which he clearly wasn't.

"She defended me against a bunch of hooligans once, and helped me to my medication once the adrenaline wore off—I very well could have died that night." It was more like he had defended her from the hooligans, but she wasn't so sure if the old man would have died had she not gotten him to his medication, but the case manager didn't need to know that. "I tried to reward her, but she absolutely refused."

"Is that so?" the case manager asked with a hint of suspicion.

Mr. Wayne nodded his head and smiled what most would consider a winning smile, as if to placate the woman. He then turned to Terri, "I would like to offer you a job."

"A job?" Terri parroted in disbelief.

The case manager looked surprised but then suspicion kicked in. "And just what would your job for _Miss _McGinnis entail?" that was a clear remark on the old man's former womanizer ways. Not that he looked like a "Hugh Hefner" type of guy.

"It's not much," the old man replied, "but I find that in my old age, I could use a part-time assistant. You know a gofer—go for this, go for that. An ally, as it were," Terri's eyes winded and she had to refrain from smiling at the hidden message. Was he offering her…was he offering her the choice to be Batman? "Are you interested?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but you will have to be more specific. Miss McGinnis is a minor—"now that was just blatant "and the details of this…assistantship should be a little clearer." Terri dropped her head in shame, though she felt her face flush in embarrassment at the implications being made.

Mr. Wayne retained his composure however, "I will be the first to admit I am not the most trusting person," that was for damn sure, "however, Miss McGinnis won my trust the night she saved me from those hooligans and then helped me with my medication."

"If it's a matter of you needing assistance with medication there are many in-home care providers you could hire."

"I have tried that, ma'am," Mr. Wayne replied calmly and charismatically, "But they have all broken my trust. And besides, this part-time job would not just be a care provider role. I would intend to teach Miss McGinnis, if she is willing of course, my trade."

Terri couldn't help smiling now, "Really?!" he was going to teach her to be Batman!?

"Really?" the case manager repeated, "You only met Miss McGinnis once."

Mr. Wayne smiled again. "The success of my company had always relied on my ability to read people, and I see a good deal of potential and my younger self in Miss McGinnis," Mr. Wayne looked briefly at Terri before turning back to the case manager. "And the potential I see in her is a far better prospect than those currently running my company."

Terri ducked her head and felt her face becoming warm. Did this mean…? Was she meant to be Batman? Excluding the gender difference of course. Though were they even still talking about her becoming Batman or was she really being considered as a sort of heir for Mr. Wayne?

"My goodness," the case manager breathed, "and just what would Terri's salary be for this part-time position?"

Mr. Wayne hummed, "Oh I suppose more than enough to support herself and her brother while Mrs. McGinnis recovers. In addition, Wayne-Powers Industries does cover so much in family medical bills, especially considering that Teresa will currently work with us and her father's medical coverage will carry-over for another year."

"Seriously?" Terri asked faintly as she looked up at the old man. He smiled slightly and nodded his head.

"And when Miss McGinnis is working for you, what about her brother," the case manager asked.

"I'm sure Miss McGinnis can find a baby-sitter for her brother."

"And I can!" Terri interrupted; sick of the case manager talking like she wasn't in the conversation. "I'll go through all the legal hoops, I'll do every meeting and counseling session—so long as I can stay with Matt." Though, being Batman was dangerous, as last night demonstrated—not that Mr. Wayne had helped her with that. Yet at the same time, Gotham needed a Batman, and she would be keeping Matt safe—that is, if they were actually talking about a Batman job rather than a business assistantship.

"And should your arrangement fall through?" she asked Terri in a stern manner.

"Then we'll come to that bridge if we get there," Terri could not have her hope crushed like this, though there were things to still work out, she had to hope this would work; besides, she had a debt to society to repay.

The case manager pursed her lips. "I will bring this up to the courts, for now though, your mother's coworker, Ms. Clearwater, has agreed to look after you two until your situation is settled." The woman nodded between both of them, "Good day then."

Once the lady walked away, Terri turned to the old man who was practically smirking. "You're serious about teaching me your business?" Terri asked in disbelief.

"All of it," Mr. Wayne affirmed while nodding his head, "Though I warn you, I can be a difficult taskmaster. I accept nothing less than excellence from all who work for me."

"I think I can handle it," Terri felt almost giddy.

"Very well then, Miss McGinnis, welcome to my world." He extended his hand toward her and she returned the shake.

Terri smiled slightly before looking off down the hallway, "I should probably look after Matt."

"Of course," he nodded his head, "Though, if you are free today, I would be happy to discuss at length you're duties."

"I should help Matt get settled in and explain the situation first."

Mr. Wayne nodded, "Perhaps five at Wayne Manor? In the mean-time, you should brush up on what Wayne-Powers and Foxtecha products."

So this wasn't just about Batman? She nodded her head and the old man began to make his way back toward the elevator. She would have liked to clarify just what she was going to be but now was neither the place nor time. Terri then hurried down the hallway back to her brother.

When she came into the room her brother had his knees up to his chest and it was obvious he had been crying. He looked over at her and sniffed a few times. Terri smiled as confidently as she could.

"Guess what?"

The boy looked wary for a moment, almost like he was afraid to get his hopes up, "We aren't going to be separated?"

"The courts have the final say, but I just got offered a job as _the_ Bruce Wayne's assistant, he's even going to be teaching me about his company, sort of like an heir." Well, that was at least the implication; he wanted her running the company rather than Powers.

"What?!" Matt jumped off the chair, though he wobbled slightly on his landing. Likely he felt faint from his crying and the long night.

"Yeah," Terri whispered in just as excited a tone as her brother used. "I could support us both, easily." Matt raced over to her and she knelt down to receive his hug, though she winced when he pressed against her damaged ribs.

"So does this mean we get to go home?" he asked though Terri shook her head slowly.

"Not right now, we have to stay with Ms. Clearwater until the courts make a decision."

Matt pulled away and scrunched his nose. "I want to go home."

"I know, I do too," she pulled Matt back into her hug for a moment. When Matt tugged to get out of the hug, she let go of him, "How about we go down to the cafeteria and get breakfast?"

Matt nodded enthusiastically, though before they left they both looked back at their mother. They'd be right back, and though they didn't want to leave, Terri could just imagine the lecture their mother would give them—if she could—about them not eating.

Ms. Clearwater came by about an hour later. She was in different clothes than the day before and she looked harried. "I'll take you two to my house. There's food in the fridge and movies you two can watch, okay." She was already rushing them out of the room, though they all paused before leaving and each looked back at Terri's mother lying so still on the bed.

"Perhaps we can visit her tomorrow, hmm?" she asked before more gently urging them out of the room.

"What if Terri has to work?" Matt asked and Terri ruffled her brother's hair.

"I'll always be sure to visit Mom with you, okay," she hoped being Batman would let her keep that promise.

"You have a job?" Ms. Clearwater asked in surprise.

"Uh yeah," Terri rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "Mr. Wayne offered me a position as his part-time assistant. I'm actually supposed to meet him at five to discuss the job in more depth."

Clearwater hummed suspiciously and Terri rolled her eyes, "Just be careful with those recluse billionaires." Shaking her head, Terri couldn't help but laugh wryly. Was everyone going to imply that?

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**A suivre**

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**A/N: **Hope you all enjoyed ~ love depressedchildren


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